


Love is Worth Fighting For

by anna_maddie_xx



Category: Strictly Come Dancing RPF
Genre: Cinderella Elements, F/M, Fantasy, Love, Original Fiction, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-27
Updated: 2020-03-27
Packaged: 2021-03-01 06:46:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23347144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anna_maddie_xx/pseuds/anna_maddie_xx
Summary: Emma has always dreamed of a better life. But when she falls in love with King Anton, the ruler of Balrum, and he offers her a chance to become a princess for a day, she starts to doubt what she's always dreamed of.
Relationships: Emma Barton/Anton Du Beke
Comments: 3
Kudos: 7





	Love is Worth Fighting For

**Author's Note:**

> This is what happens when you're obsessed with Emma and Anton and your English assignment is to write a story...

The forest was where she loved to go whenever she felt alone. All she ever did was sit and stare, but it was calming to her. Perched on a fallen tree, letting the wind blow in her face, it was her time to get lost in her own thoughts and have visions of a better life. 

Her life wasn’t awful; it was just plain. Just like every other civilian in the kingdom, she lived in a relatively small hut, with the simple necessities inside, bed, stove, table. But she wanted to explore, have an adventure, live a little. She imagined finding a handsome prince to fall in love with, to sweep her off her feet and into a magnificent castle, far from here.

She had already accepted that would never happen in a million years. But it was nice to dream.

There she sat, on the trunk of a maple tree, gazing at a finch hopping across the floor. It was a cute little thing, with yellow tipped wings and a rosy red face. 

Starting… stopping… chirping… setting off again. She was occupied with the creature for a good time, smiling at how happy it seemed.

When it finally flew off, she thought it was because it had clocked her staring, and wanted to get away from her. What she didn't realise was that there was a man standing behind her. In no way was he trying to be threatening, but he did give her a terrible fright. She launched herself off the trunk, gasping in fear. The man looked awfully guilty, instantly apologising.

" I'm sorry, my dear, I didn't mean to startle you!" He held his hands up in defense as she brushed herself down.

She shook her head, staring down at her feet awkwardly. " It's fine, I was in a world of my own."

Holding out a hand, the man smiled.

" Let's start again. I'm Anton."

A little more at ease, she took his extended hand, plucking up the courage to look at his face. He was older than her, possibly by a decade, but he was still very handsome, with kind eyes and an inviting grin.

"Emma," she replied shyly.

Anton held on to her hand and brought it up to his lips. 

"Emma. What a beautiful name."

Blushing, Emma tried to counteract his words, blabbering on embarrassingly.

"Not really, it's extremely common in my village. I know half a dozen other Emma's-"

She stopped all of a sudden, finally noticing Anton's attire. Dressed in crimson red and brown, his outfit was very exquisite, like something a King would wear.

A King.

Then, it clicked. Her eyes widened as she realised she was in the presence of King Anton of Balrum, the ruler of the kingdom she lived in.

Emma didn't think she'd ever moved as fast as she did then, pulling her dress to the side in a deep curtsy.

" Your majesty, may I ask for your forgiveness at my oblivious behaviour."

The King shook his head.

“ There is no need to apologise. I was actually quite happy you didn’t recognise me.”

Surprised, Emma stood straight.

“ Why is that… your majesty?” She remembered to address the King correctly.

" You know, it is rather tedious that people fear my name, because I'm the leader of this land. In reality, I'm quite wonderful." He laughed, putting Emma at ease.

" What are you doing out in the forest alone, your Majesty?"

Before he replied to her question, Anton waved his hand around, pulling a face.

" Stop with the Majesty nonsense. Call me Anton." 

Smiling shyly, Emma nodded, listening intently to what he had to say next.

"I'm escaping royal duties. They're terribly dull, and having my mother barking in my ear at all times may drive me to insanity."

Laughing, Emma vaguely understood what he meant, having heard rumours from her local villagers. The King's mother had a reputation for being uptight and stubborn, so people didn't think so highly of her.

"Right, so do you need someone to keep you company?"

Anton grin widened, showing his white teeth.

"Of course. I couldn't think of anything better." He offered her an arm, Emma taking it hesitantly, not sure whether she should be allowed to touch a man of royal caliber. There was no flinch when she looped her hand around her bicep, so she felt comfortable in his presence. They began to walk, Anton starting off the conversation with a funny story. Emma gazed up at him in awe, amazed by the fact that she was talking to the King of Balrum as though he were an old friend. Anton gazed back down at her, mesmerised by her beauty.

And on that day they fell in love.

***

They started meeting in secret, Anton putting aside his royal duties to spend time with Emma. Walks through the woods, picnics in the meadow, each moment with one another utter bliss. However, Anton had decided that it was time to take things to the next level.

"I'm having a ball tomorrow evening and I want you to be there."

Emma looked at Anton, her face plastered with confusion. 

" But I can't. I'm not of royal blood."

Anton laughed. 

"And I’m the King! I choose what goes on in my kingdom.” 

Still unsure, Emma kept silent, not wanting to say the wrong thing. 

“If it’s my mother you’re worried about, I’ll sort her out. She can’t be negative about every single thing I do.” 

“She’s going to hate me, I know she is. Because I’m not a Lady, or a Duchess or a Princess.” Emma sighed, “But fine, I’ll come to your ball.”

Grinning, Anton placed a kiss on her cheek, jovial that she’d agreed. 

“Wonderful, my darling. I’ll find the best dressmaker to sew you the most stunning gown.”

Emma smiled, but her head was spinning. She was scared of being judged, by all of the stuck up, upper class ladies living in their manors and castles. She would never fit in with that crowd, as much as she wanted to. But this would make Anton happy, so she wanted to do it for him.

***  
The dress designed for Emma was stunning, with a bodice coloured like champagne and decorated with a beautiful floral pattern. The skirt was a cocoa colour, long and flowy so it tickled her calves. She felt like a princess in it, an opportunity she'd never thought she could achieve. Her hair had been pinned up, and her make up was natural, not wanting to look like a clown. 

Anton had arranged for a carriage to pick her up, and when she saw what she was being transported in, her jaw dropped.

The vehicle waiting for her gleamed and shone, encrusted with stunning patterns. Emma swore to the stars it was made of diamond. She'd never seen anything like it.

As soon as Emma stepped inside, it set off. Villagers outside gave her strange looks, as if to say, "What is a woman like her doing in a carriage like that?" She chose to ignore them. Today was not a day to be judged by people of her own class. People of the upper class however, that was a bigger problem.

***  
As the carriage pulled up to the giant brass gates, the nerves started to kick in. Emma’s legs felt like jelly as she walked up the stairs to the palace, trying to keep the proper poise she had seen from the royals. Ladies trotted about in big poofy ball gowns, fanning themselves and pursing their lips. There were men attached to their outstretched arms, dickie bows around their necks and tailcoats trailing behind them. She felt so out of place, and yet she was mesmerised by it all. 

When she entered the ballroom, her eyes darted around, trying to find Anton. Finally, she picked him out of the crowd, clearly of a higher status than everyone else with his jewelled crown upon his head. He was in a conversation with his mother and another older lady. She didn't want to approach him while he was talking, so she stood out of the way, waiting for him to notice her. As soon as he did, he was straight over, beaming from ear to ear. 

"You look gorgeous, my dear. More beautiful than any other girl in the land."

Emma smiled prettily, as Anton grabbed her hand.

"Care to dance?" he said.

"Of course."

As he escorted her to the dancing floor, everyone moved to the side to allow them into the middle of the room. There were whispers from many of the guests, wondering who the creature was that had caught the eye of the King.

As the music playing slowed down, Anton placed his hand on Emma's hip, Emma placing hers on his shoulder, a traditional ballroom pose. Then, he spun her across the floor.

They went round so gracefully, so easily, not one mistake in their footwork. People's faces were stunned, at this stranger waltzing with King Anton. When they finished, there was a silence, before clapping rang throughout the ballroom. Emma bowed her head politely, and Anton took her away to the back of the room. The buzz of conversation eventually began again, as Emma saw Anton's mother approaching them.

Panicking, Emma tried to smoothen her dress, worrying that there were creases in the skirt. As she looked up, the woman was right in front of her, dark eyes staring into her.

"So who is the lady that's stolen my son's heart?"

Emma began to speak, and then stopped. She didn't know what to say. This woman was expecting her to be wealthy, with a Lord father and a castle somewhere. But she wasn't. Noticing her discomfort, Anton decided to talk for her.

"This is Emma."

His mother eyed her up and down, still not smiling.

"Is your family a friend to the kingdom? I don't recognise you."

"I'm not of royal blood, your Grace."

The King's mother's expression went from blank to disgust. She turned to her son.

"Are you trying to tell me you've fallen for a…" she glared at Emma, "commoner?"

"She's not of royal blood, yes but I don't care about that."

Sniggering, his mother shook her head.

"Everyone else is going to care though. All of your subjects, and me, don't want a simple girl like her in the royal family."

Emma knew it was going to come to this. She didn't want to have to listen to them argue about her, so she decided it was best to leave them.

"I'm sorry, I must go," she said, taking a deep breath before turning on her heel.

"Yes you must. You don't belong here." 

Those words really got to her. As she walked away, tears forming in her eyes, she heard Anton calling her name. She didn't turn around. As Anton's mother had rightly said, she didn't belong here.

***  
Emma ran down the palace steps, trying not to snap or lose a heel. Tears were streaming down her face. Oh, how she never should have agreed with Anton in the first place. It had always been a bad idea from the start. How she thought Anton's mother would let her into the family, with her being a... commoner, as the woman most delicately put it. Stress and exhaustion took over her body, and Emma collapsed onto her knees, muddying her beautiful dress. She no longer cared. She'd been a princess for an hour and now it had ended.

As she kneeled there, crying into her hands, she heard a thud of footsteps behind her. Turning her head, she saw Anton running towards her. She hurriedly wiped her tears away, not wanting him to worry about her. But when he dropped down beside her, his face full of pain, she started again as his arms wrapped her in an embrace. She sobbed into his shoulder, comforted in his arms.

"I will find a way for us to be together, I promise you."

Anton sounded so convinced in his words that Emma tried to believe them.

"We can live in a cute cottage in the forest, with three wonderful children."

"And a dog," Emma added.

This made Anton laugh.

"And a dog."

"But you can't just abandon your kingdom. You have duties."

Anton shrugged. "I hate being King, I always have. I'll step down and let my mother take over." He placed a hand under Emma's chin so he could look into her gorgeous blue eyes. "I'll do anything for you."

Emma smiled, and fell into his arms again. They stayed there, just holding one another. Neither wanted to ever leave the other's side again, even if it meant that people would look down on them. Even if it meant Anton would have to abandon his kingdom to be with Emma.


End file.
